Jaded Willow
by AuDC Productions
Summary: After failing an important mission, Lian Nguyen reflects on the happier moments of her life. Then an unexpected visitor comes to bail her out. She just wishes that person wasn't her perfect little sister.


**Author's Notes: **As promised here is the AuDC showcase for the futuristic character Lian. For those of you who follow the Jake Cross stories posted, this will answer a very important question that has been asked time and time again. Again the next one-shot will be about Beast Boy followed by a Bane and Batman one. Enjoy.

* * *

AuDC Productions Showcase: Lian Nguyen

Jaded Willow

The dark-haired teenager stared at the ceiling of her cell. In her mind she had muted out the complaints of the others being held up in the prison here, most of them protesting about the heat (which was purposely turned on for torture) or hunger. To the oriental beauty in the cliché orange jumpsuit, neither really bothered her. In fact, the only thing that bothered her was that god-awful smell. Then again, the blended smell of decomposing corpses, human feces, and musky bodies was never something pleasant to smell. She had always joked that this was what the gym lockers in hell smelled like, but was not trying to go there to find out.

So how did one seventeen-years-old girl end up in such a high-end prison?

She killed their leader.

A smile came onto her face as she thought about it. The Justice League had their rules and regulations that never suited her. The League of Assassins was all about balance and how good couldn't outweigh evil and vice versa- a lesson she was tired of hearing. The Society of Shadows was about world domination, something she just didn't want. And then there was Checkmate…

She will _never_ go back to Checkmate.

Turning onto her side she let out a breath. And to think that she was once a normal girl. She went to school and did homework. She used to loved blowing bubbles during the day and chasing fireflies at night. Her parents were never around much, or rather, they never played with her much. They instead just watched her from a distance. It never bothered her whenever she caught them, her dad normally exchanging conversation with her when he wasn't too busy.

The guy was just filled with words of wisdom.

And then there was her mom. She respected her mother and loved her more than the woman would ever know. When the kids at her school found out who her mother was, no one bothered her. At the time, she thought that that was what friends were; people too afraid to make her angry so they did everything to make her smile. Obviously that was not true. But her mother had made it so that no one ever made her mad. And her dad made sure that no one made her cry. They were a great pair of parents.

They were great partners.

A smile came onto her face when she remembers her only boyfriend. She was five at the time. He had walked up to her at lunch and offered her his pudding cup before asking her out. Her aunt thought the gesture was "cute" while her dad did not comment at all. He just stared with a firm look that had startled her at the time. When the news caught up to her mother, the boy was told to "make her happy or else" in which he gave her his pudding cup for the rest of that year. He never attempted to find her while playing Hide-n-Seek or throw a ball in her direction during dodge ball. But she didn't mind honestly. Back then winning wasn't everything, just the only thing that mattered.

She had grandparents, loving grandparents at that. Her grandfather- her father's father- always seemed to push her to her limits. He could be quite distant and cold at moments, but she always seemed to see his lip curl into a smirk once in a while. Then her maternal grandmother was always interested in how she was doing. And she made the _best_ cookies. It was because of this woman that her childhood was as pleasant as it was because snickerdoodles were simply the key to get her to smile. Even now a snickerdoodle would make this prison a better place.

Her childhood was abruptly ended during one of the most traumatizing events in her life and before she knew it, she had four siblings. But she never cared much for them only because she was hardly around them. They were just names and faces to remember, nothing more. She guessed that they felt the same as none of them ever attempted to reach out to her.

Except for _her_.

The girl's coal gray eyes go back up to the ceiling as she rolls onto her back. Her black hair sprayed beneath her on the pillow now as she finally puts on the serious face she was known for having. All because of _her_. The golden child. The perfect daughter.

How could anyone be so damn perfect? She had perfect grades. She had perfect friends. That damn smile that seemed to make the embodiment of hatred weak. The girl, who was the source of all of her adherence- of her _envy, _even had to follow in _her_ footsteps and try to become the greatest female heroine since Wonder Woman. Of course neither succeeded, but still. This bane of her existence annoyed her to no end possibly because that pain in the ass wanted to be _just like her_.

But who would want to be Lian Nguyen? Surely not that _princess_ of a fighter, Aliyah.

Lian sneers at the thought of Aliyah mocking with her perfection. How she would perform some super-complicated flip like it was nothing and then go to school and ace every test like she studied for it. Worst of all, it was how _everyone_ acknowledged how great Aliyah would be in the future. She and that damn Cassandra chick were everyone's pick for great things in the women's department, Talon and the new Arsenal being the "top picks" for the males.

Her sneer softens as she recalls her last meeting with Aliyah, or rather Phoenix. There was a difference between the two after all. That aside, Lian thought about listening to Phoenix pleading with her. She had called them sisters despite that not being true. They were not sisters. They were rivals. Lian grew stronger just to stay a step ahead of Phoenix and she assumed Aliyah did the same.

But they weren't sisters.

"Hey," Lian's eyes cut towards the bars that separated her and the TYGER guard standing with a smirk on his face and a few small cuts in his five o'clock shadow. "What's a pretty little girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Lian scoffs. Every night this man- Jeffery was the name on his badge- came down here and pushed her patience to the limits. She had the urge to kill him but the bars stopped her from doing so. He claimed that he knew her mother and how her mother whored her way out of Striker Island. It was a rumor that her paternal grandfather had proved to be false. Needless to say that the first man that had told Lian about her mother's "sluttish" escape was now buried six feet under and he wasn't dead when she put him there.

Though he was probably dead now…

"You know," Jeffery continues. "If you'd just do me this one personal favor, I could have you in a better cell. Away from these low-lives." Lian rolls her eyes and stares at the ceiling again. "Or I could just come in there and take it. Your choice."

"If you open that door," Lian speaks calmly but firm. "I am going to rip your dick off and shove it down your own throat. Do you understand me?"

The man laughs. "Tough talk for a little girl!"

"I killed you dear president of this stupid country. Don't make you my next target." Lian threatens.

"Oh yeah, a smart-mouthed bitch like you deserves something shoved down that fucking throat. Maybe it'll teach you respect little girl."

Lian felt her fists clench but she quickly relaxed her fingers. Somewhere during her life, killing became something she did. Her parents were not very keen of it but neither outright stopped her. Whenever they heard of her doing such a thing, they would just give her the same disappointed look that they always gave her. It wasn't like they were better. Thieves and assassins. Murderers and hackers. Terrorists. Between the two of them, they had broken every law there was in the world.

"What? No comeback?" Lian snorts at the man's comment. "I thought so. Just stay there and rot with the rest of the shit in this prison."

Lian closes her eyes. "They just won't let you live."

That was a phrase that her father told her. It came from some old book or whatever, but it was true. No matter what she did, there would always be someone that made her life difficult. Even when she was trying to be nice and considerate, there would be jerks and punks like this guy to always ruin her kind attitude. And they normally succeeded.

**WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!**

The blaring alarm caused Lian to shoot up in her bed. The guard at her door seemed to be muttering something to dispatch, trying to figure out what had set off the alarm. Lian was more concerned about why whoever or whatever decided to break into the prison.

"An assassin?" Lian heard the guard say. "Damn…"

Lian quickly plaited her hair into a single braid, two dark bangs framing the side of her face. She was without her multitude of weapons but she was far from defenseless. If an assassin had indeed broken into this place, the last thing she wanted was to be on said man's or woman's hit list. She knew how assassins worked.

She was one after all.

"Hey! Steve!" Jeffery calls to another guard. "We need to protect the package. Make sure that no one gets to her before the boss does!"

The second guard, a man probably twice Jeffery's size, nods his bald head and stands in front of Lian's cell. Lian was slightly confused. Why was she the package? Of all the prisoners that were in here, surely one of them had a higher priority than she did. Maybe this assassin was someone that she had been seen with once before?

Nah. The chances of anyone getting to know the real Lian Nguyen and coming to save her was a small chance. She wasn't a bad person, just a picky one. She didn't really call a lot of people "friends" as they were more like acquaintances that she either worked with or trained with.

"Hey you!" Lian attempted to see passed the two men but could not make out the figure they were talking to. "Stop right there."

Lian wanted to see who the guards' opponent was, but could not get a glimpse. The larger Steve did his job in, not only being a tremendous roadblock for whoever was there, but also stopped Lian from making any eye contact with the person.

"That's far enough," Jeffery called out to the person. "Take another move and I'll shoot!" Lian snorts. Like that'll work. Anyone with the skills to break into here was surely above standard cop threats. "I'm giving you to three! One! Two!"

The sound of an object whistling through the air was heard followed by the most girly man scream that Lian has ever heard. A circular chakram sliced embedded itself into three of two of the bars of Lian's cell.

Lian's eyes narrowed. There was no way that that blade was thrown by who she thought it was.

"That crazy bitch cut my hand off!" Jeffery shrieks.

Lian's observing eyes goes to the ground to see a small trail of blood leaking into her cell. She sneered at the thought of cleaning it up later with one of her spare uniforms, _if_ she decided to clean it that is. It might be a nice décor in her cell.

"Try that on me!" Lian's attention was turned to Steve, who actually _ran_ for the attacker. Lian had never seen a man of the size move that fast… Well, not counting someone like Bane who was all muscle or Killer Croc who was, well, Killer Croc. And then almost as fast as he ran towards the attacker, he was shot back by a blast of fire, killing all doubt in Lian's mind who had come to her rescue.

"Agh!" Aliyah screams in frustration, setting the hall and the cells around her ablaze. Lian watched in amusement. With Aliyah's red hair seemed to moving as wildly as the flames around her.

The flames seemed to die down while Aliyah seemed put her hands to her sides. There were three burnt bodies now, two behind Aliyah and Steven's. Jeffery had somehow managed to make it out of that minute explosion with minor burns and was alive.

But that was about to change.

Lian pulled the chakram stuck in the bars out, staring down at Jeffery. He was too caught up in Aliyah to even notice the sadistic smirk on the prisoner's face.

"I told you I'd kill you." Jeffery's eyes went wide before his throat was subsequently sliced. "Choke on that."

Aliyah did not seem fazed by Lian's actions, calmly walking towards her cell. Lian stared at her redhead foe intensely. Aliyah was the Phoenix. There were people that could beat the redhead now, but in a few years, she could be the Cave's house mother or even the next Oracle.

Aliyah's hands wrapped around two bars before she began to heat them up. Lian watched with a brow cocked as she was sure that the bars were somewhat heat resistance. It didn't stop Aliyah from trying though and Lian had to applaud the girl's determination.

Surprisingly, the bar finally gave in and bent due to the heat and Aliyah's stubbornness.

"Is that big enough?" Phoenix asked quietly.

"Do the other one." Lian states.

Obediently, Aliyah does so. Now Lian had no excuses and slipped through the bent bars. She handed Aliyah the thrown chakram, Aliyah muttering a thanks beneath her breath.

"So you break into Waller's prison to get me? Did Artemis send you? Is this even for the YJL?" Lian practically demands. Aliyah simply shakes her head which somehow irritates Lian. "Then why the hell are you here?"

"Because we're sisters…"

Lian bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to tell Aliyah that they weren't and never would be. But what good would that do? Aliyah would believe what she wanted to believe and Lian the same. They would probably never see eye to eye on anything so it was pointless to debate now.

"I found where they're holding your stuff. I took out some of the guards but I'm sure more arrived." Phoenix states. "So how did you want to do this?"

Lian crosses her arms. "Since when did you take orders?"

"Lian I-"

"Answer my question." Lian interrupts. She was angry with the fact that she was _rescued_ by this golden child of perfection.

Lian watches as the younger girl twists her lips in disapproval. But she didn't care.

"My mission was to free you, and I have you out of your cell. I'm assuming that you want your things, in which, it is _your_ mission." Aliyah spoke carefully. "So what do you want to do?"

"We get my things. But," Lian said as she held a finger up. "We do it my way. That means kill or be killed."

"Okay."

Always the obedient child. Always the respectful child. Lian scoffs. She really hated this girl.

"Let's go." Lian ordered as she picks up Jeffery's downed gun, only to immediately drop it when it burns her hands. "Damn it!"

"Sorry." Aliyah mumbles humbly as she grabs the gun and grips it. Lian glares at the girl before she holds it out. "I think I've absorbed enough heat for it so it won't hurt you."

Lian snatches the gun. "I didn't need that!" Aliyah actually flinches causing Lian to sigh and calm down. "Let's just get out of here."

She wasn't always like this to Aliyah. They were once friends, working on the same team. Although their "sisterly bond" had begun years before Aliyah joined the covert team. Back when Lian had was the apple of the world's eye and Aliyah was just an admirer. Those were the days that Lian dawned the black hooded alias of Shadow, while her closest friend became Speedy.

But like her childhood, those days abruptly ended due to tragedy as well.

Lian was a master of stealth, something that no one could take away from her. She assumed Aliyah must be quite adept in sneaking around as well considering the girl's red hair could be seen a mile away. Aliyah didn't care though. She snuck in and out however she pleased, vibrant flaming red hair and all.

Lian peered around a corner before leaning back to her temporary ally.

"Three guards. Can you take them from here?" Aliyah's lips thinned but she nods. Lian just scoffs. "You and your 'no kill unless necessary' rule is getting in the way."

"I'm sorry." Aliyah apologizes quietly.

"Don't be." Lian says before pivoting around the corner, firing three pinpointed shots. Aliyah remained stoic despite her heart jumping at the first gunshot. "There. Problem solved."

"…" The redhead remained silent as she followed the older teen to the guarded room.

"More will be here soon." Lian said before spotting a camera. "Take it out."

Phoenix nods before blasting the surveillance device with her flames. When she was done, she had noticed that Lian had somehow picked the lock to the door and was heading inside. Aliyah looked at the dead guards for a second. Lian was a sharpshooter and was normally only below some of the all-time veterans such as Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Vigilante, Deadshot, Green Arrow, and a few other older archers/shooters. So it wasn't a big surprise that each guard had a bullet wound somewhere on his forehead.

Shaking her head, Aliyah walked inside of the room where Lian was to see the brunette put on a familiar costume that Aliyah has come to loathe. Not because the villainous uniform was hideous in any of the fashion sense (Aliyah was _very_ much into fashion at school) but because of the scars and memories that came with the look. Whenever Aliyah thought of the bad inside of her sister, she thought of Lian wearing this outfit.

It began with the tight black pants that held holsters for her handgun and trusted sai. The bone-white utility belt that seemed to store a countless number of X-shaped shuriken. The black short-sleeve top that was designed to make one believe that small firearms and fire could hurt Lian, though they didn't. The top was made to protect her from such things. On her back was the blood-red bow and quiver that reflected her time as Arrowette. When Lian turned to face Aliyah, Aliyah saw the final two pieces that made this outfit a memory she would never forget. First the black mask that only covered the lower half of Lian's face had the design of a skeletal jaw that perfectly aligned with Lian's. And then, the emblem on Lian's chest was nothing more but a simple red X.

Yes, this was Lian Nguyen, the fourth Red X in history and the only one to not use the suit currently locked away.

"We should move." Aliyah said. "They're closing in on us fast."

"Then let them come." Lian replied as she stretched her limbs. "I've been dying to get my hands on half of them. Maybe I'll get an audience with Cadmus and Checkmate."

Aliyah frowns. "Why? Wouldn't that just put you back here?" Lian stops stretching and glares at the younger girl. "Lian, we have to leave now."

"And go where?" Aliyah was a bit shocked by the question and the anger behind it. She honestly didn't think Lian would be _this_ hostile. "If you haven't noticed, but I'm a wanted terrorist in five different countries and your parents aren't my biggest supporters. I can't return to the Cave and I doubt Deathstroke will greet me with arms wide open."

"But-"

"Face it Ali. There's no saving me."

Lian saw Aliyah's face morphed into the stubborn one Lian was used to seeing. An argument was about to ensue, that was for sure. No one has ever called Aliyah "soft-spoken" before and no one would. She was obedient when it came to her superiors but she was never afraid to say what was on her mind.

But Lian was always the smarter one, or so she'd like to think so. So she had a response that would squash this before it even started.

"Besides," Lian continued. "It'll give us some time to bond."

Aliyah's lips twisted. "It would…"

"Then it's settled." Lian said before a thought occurred to her. "And just how were we leaving this island?"

"I borrowed a plane." Aliyah's response didn't sit right. Aliyah was part of the YJL. If she "borrowed" a plane, that means she came with back-up. But she was here, alone.

"You stole the bio-ship?" Aliyah shakes her head. "A plane from Cross Enterprise?" Again a negative response. Lian's eyes then widened. "You _stole_ the fucking Bat-wing!"

"I _borrowed_ it!" Aliyah retorts. "I'm going to bring it back."

Lian could not believe her ears. Sure, Aliyah has done some pretty desperate things in times of need, but this was passed any of those. This was Aliyah Cross, _the_ Aliyah Cross, who used the trust the Wayne Family had of her and betraying that trust. What would Nightwing think? Oracle? What would _Batman_ do? Hell, what would Dinah- the woman who _trained_ Aliyah- think?

"You are so in trouble." Lian said sounding more like her ten-years-old self speaking to Tommy, a boy three years her junior. He was also one of her "siblings" and lived with her aunt for the most time. Like the others, they didn't talk. She has run into him several of times before her incarceration and yet hardly two words transpired between them.

In fact, Aliyah has been the only one of her so-called siblings to speak to her during the past five years of her life. Lian never understood why. She had failed to do anything to help Aliyah in the past so many times that she had rightfully given up. And in doing so, she became one of Aliyah's top three rivals, Isis Falcone and Ivan being the other two. Yet even still, the hatred Aliyah holds for Ivan and the grudge she held for Isis was nothing compared to the dynamics of the two present. Lian hated Aliyah and she knew that the feeling was mutual. However they couldn't allow anyone else in the world to harm them, not the League of Assassins, not the Justice League, not even the President of the United States. Why? Because that was the bond that the two established about fourteen years ago.

"Okay," Lian looked at Aliyah as the younger girl spoke. "But we're not killing."

"You're right. We aren't. I am." Lian mocks. Aliyah looks ready to set the older brunette on fire while Lian merely smirks. "What's wrong Ali? You seem pissed."

"Lian…" Aliyah growls.

"We have to get out of here doing anything necessary. And killing is necessary." Lian points out. "Now help me find my arrows. They have to be in one of these- Oh never mind!"

Aliyah finds herself smiling about at Lian's playful nature. Sure the older girl could be intolerable at points, especially when she was being coy with the male members of the Team. But that was just who Lian was. She wasn't just an assassin who killed and robbed for the fun of it. Lian was someone that Aliyah once looked up to- and secretly she still did.

"This'll do," Lian said before eying Phoenix. "I'm ready when you are."

Aliyah made sure that her chakram were tightly secured on her waist before grabbing her staff from her back.

"Let's do it." Aliyah replies.

They were two of a kind yet so different. Lian's plans always involved a survival rate while Aliyah wanted everyone to walk away from the bout. Lian was an assassin with a rare soft side that allows some of her hits to flee. Aliyah was a hero with little patience when it came to rescuing those she knew were unworthy. People like rapists deserved to be jailed in Aliyah's mind while Lian would save the cops, lawyers, and judge the trouble and just kill the guy or girl sex offender. Lian was once the little girl who thought action movies were the greatest. Aliyah preferred and will always prefer romance comedies.

But now they fought as one.

Red X and Phoenix were able to maneuver through the crowd of guards, taking them down as swiftly as possible. They fought side by side and back to back, leaving nothing but bodies in their wake. Lian had actually attempted to spare as many lives as she could for Aliyah's sake. In return, Aliyah fought with aggression that Lian had only seen against people like Ivan, guys who could take as many blows and be alright tomorrow.

These guys would _not_ be alright tomorrow though.

Lian watched as Phoenix twirls her staff effortlessly, looking more like a ballerina who was exceptionally good with a baton. It wasn't until Aliyah shot a guard in the leg that Lian realized that these were _her_ moves. Years ago when Lian was Arrowette, this was how she fought. Gracefully dancing around her opponents, always thinking of the next move as she went along. They had the fighting style that many of the older generations had noted on, Black Canary saying how it reminded her of a slightly more feminine version of Dick Grayson's Robin fighting style as they twirled on the balls of their toes now and again. Jake Cross, the last student trained by Lady Shiva and a prominent fighter, has also said similar things. Though, if Lian was correct, Jake's words were "evasive and effective" and that he "loved every bit of it."

But didn't he have to?

Lian watched Aliyah duck and she took that opportunity to load and fire an arrow at a guard who fired at the same time. Aliyah yelped in pain as the bullet buried itself into her leg while Lian put her shot right into the man's eye. A hand on her thigh caused Lian to glance at Aliyah, who had reached and grabbed the pistol from Lian's holster. And this is how they fought, taking care of the men that were behind each other. Aliyah's careful shots were placed not to kill but to immobilize while Lian didn't care how they fell.

It was Lian that gave the order to leave. And Phoenix wholeheartedly agreed, running as if she had not been shot in her leg. Lian had put her bow away as the urge to stab someone became too much for her to control. Her sai were now held in her hands as she raced through the facility. Her abilities amplified by bloodlust and revenge, but most importantly, her will to protect Aliyah. If they failed then at least Aliyah would escape. She shouldn't care whether Aliyah was caught or not but she did and that care transferred into her current bloodlust.

By the end of it, she had counted fourteen different men and women that had met their ends by her two sharp blades. Aliyah had done the smart thing by setting the exit ablaze after they left, stopping anyone who was pursuing. But now the real race began. The military of Qurac would haunt them down. Worse, the relationship between the Justice League and the small country will further decline due to Phoenix's involvement in Lian's escape.

The whistling sound of missiles catches the girls' ears and Aliyah abruptly stopped and scanned the air. Then, one by one, she blasted the missiles with balls of fire. In Lian's mind, it reminded her of fireworks on the Fourth of July. That was normally the only day sans her birthday and Christmas that both parents bothered to show up and spend the entire day with her. Even in her older years, they made sure to pull her off of some mission and force her to "bond" with her "family".

"There!" Aliyah's call grabbed Lian's attention and the two gave one final push to the Bat-wing. With Aliyah piloting (no way in hell was Lian going to be caught flying Batman's stolen plane) and Lian in the back co-pilot seat, the plane began to power up. "Oracle! This is Phoenix! Do you hear me?"

_"You are so in trouble."_ Lian couldn't help but to let a small giggle escape her lips while Aliyah released an exasperated sigh. _"Why are you in Qurac? And what was so important that you couldn't just ask me?"_

"I have Lian." Aliyah said.

_"Aliyah…" _Oracle pauses and sighs. _"We'll talk more about this when you return. For now, I'm taking control of the plane. Just sit back and rest."_

"Yes ma'am." Again, Aliyah was normally respectful and obedient to her superiors.

_"Lian, are you alright?"_ Lian blinked. She remembers Oracle, the only person within the Cave to design a _written_ test to examine the prospects. And on a personal note, Lian knew her as Babs and once one of the few grown-ups that showed Lian any kindness.

"I'm fine." Lian answers sitting back in the seat to get comfortable.

_"I'll have you two home in a few hours." _Oracle said. _"I'm glad you're both safe."_

"We're sisters Barbara. No one hurts us but us." Lian could hear the smile on Aliyah's face and couldn't help but smile herself.

Too bad that she would not be going home to a happy family with loving siblings.

* * *

Aliyah woke up on the plane to see that Lian was gone. Lian left her a note thanking Aliyah but she did have a mission- a _promise_- to complete. And she made good on her word, doing what she promised she would before going to where she called home. The old three-story home was cold from lack of power and heat. The ceiling was horribly patched as no one really bothered to keep the place in tiptop shape. But Lian did. Lian would always try to do so.

Ascending the steps as quietly as possible, Lian finally reached the second floor and made her way to her room. Once inside she stripped off her uniform and threw on a fresh pair of panties and a large t-shirt. Her head soon hit her pillow as she flops exhausted on her bed.

Mission complete. Money gained. Bills paid. That's all that went through her tired mind. The military leader of Qurac was dead, and for her doing so, she was paid greatly. However that payment went to the cost that it would take to turn on the power and heat and keep it for at least six months, the costs of repairing the basement refrigerator, and of course new playground equipment.

All in all, the orphanage would stand for at least another six months until she became Red X again and did what she had to do.

As the teen slipped off into her dreams, she was visited by two figures that stood above her with small awe. They knew of her past. They remember when the Joker did what he did to Lian. The day her childhood abruptly ended.

"Rest easy baby." The woman spoke softly as she brushed Lian's hair. Her sharp eyes then went towards the man who was busy looking around. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing." He was lying and they both knew it. "I have to get back to Arkham soon. Maybe I can throw Qurac off of her trail."

The woman nods. "I'll stay here. Keep an eye on her."

"Hopefully you'll talk her into moving back in with your mom." The man states. "White hair runs in my family and I sure as hell do not want to gray before it's my time because your daughter is off killing again."

Snorting, the woman replies, "So she's my daughter when she's killing?" The man shrugs his shoulders lightly. "I knew I should've killed you back then instead of going through this."

"I didn't come to you." It was an argument used for years and the woman was slightly tired of hearing it. "I have to get back but I'll be back tomorrow. Do you need anything?"

"Spoiling me? What would your wife think?" The man's lips thin as the woman laughs quietly. "I'm fine. Get out of here. If anything should happen, I'll take her and leave. And then we'll handle it like always. As parents. As partners."

"Always, Partner," The man speaks before going to Lian and kissing her forehead. "Take it easy kid. Don't take life so seriously." He rises before a black suit covers his body, heading towards the window. "See you around Jade."

"Next time, don't sneak up on me Jake. You know how I hate that." The spider-themed vigilante only laughs as he leaps out of the window. Jade simply looks at her daughter with a warm smile. "We love you Lian."

Jade hears her daughter let out a small groan (though Jade has always thought of it as a low growl), something she remembered Lian does when someone or something was bothering her sleep. It was like a body reflex that Lian had somehow developed to warn the annoying person that she was not in the mood to wake up yet. It was a warning to let them know between a happy Lian and a cranky one.

Removing her shoes, Jade carefully slides into the small bed with Lian and holds the girl close to her. She loved Lian probably more than the girl knew and even when she was angry at her (like taking a mission to kill the leader of a country _alone_) she would always support Lian's decisions. Well, as much as any mother could support her rebellious teenage daughter.

But Lian was more than that. Since the incident with the Joker, Jade has gone that extra mile to make sure that her daughter was safe at all times, even if that meant spacing herself from Lian. And Jake has too. How else would Aliyah know where Lian was being kept, let alone get the Bat-wing out without ringing any alarms? Lian's birth wasn't planned by any stretch of the imagination but she was loved.

The granddaughter of Lawrence "Crusher" and Paula Crock. The granddaughter of Slade and Adeline Wilson. The daughter of Cheshire. The daughter of Black Spider. Lian Nguyen.

The daughter of destiny.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I know what you're thinking... Okay, maybe not but here is the answer to the million dollar question(s) that sort of answers the questions A) Lian will be in the series, and B) who her father is. However there is a real good reason why Lian doesn't view Aliyah as her sister and why Jade states that Lian's birth "wasn't plan by any stretch of the imagination" which will unfortunately not be revealed until later in Arkham Rising. Again, thanks for reading and leave a review or PM for any questions, thoughts, or comments you have. Until next time.


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